Joh 13:1-17 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for John 13:1: 13:1–20:31 This section focuses on the sign of the cross, the great climax of Jesus’ life, as well as the time Jesus spent preparing his disciples for it (chs 13–17 ). Jesus is glorified through each event of these momentous days. Jesus’ arrest, trial, crucifixion, and resurrection all evoke responses of awe. On the cross, Jesus is elevated in glory before the world (12:32 ). Summary for John 13:1-38: 13:1-38 The setting is Jesus’ final Passover meal on Thursday evening, when Judas Iscariot betrays Jesus. John does not record the meal itself as the synoptic Gospels do (Matt 26:17-29 ; Mark 14:12-25 ; Luke 22:7-20 ; see also 1 Cor 11:23-26 ). John emphasizes other activities at the event, such as the foot washing (John 13:1-17 ), Judas’s betrayal (13:18-30 ), and the prediction of Peter’s denials (13:31-38 ).

Summary for John 13:1: 13:1–20:31 ^a This section focuses on the sign of the cross, the great climax of Jesus’ life, as well as the time Jesus spent preparing his disciples for it (chs 13–17 ^b). Jesus is glorified through each event of these momentous days. Jesus’ arrest, trial, crucifixion, and resurrection all evoke responses of awe. On the cross, Jesus is elevated in glory before the world (12:32 ^c).
Summary for John 13:1-38: 13:1-38 ^d The setting is Jesus’ final Passover meal on Thursday evening, when Judas Iscariot betrays Jesus. John does not record the meal itself as the synoptic Gospels do (Matt 26:17-29 ^e; Mark 14:12-25 ^f; Luke 22:7-20 ^g; see also 1 Cor 11:23-26 ^h). John emphasizes other activities at the event, such as the foot washing (John 13:1-17 ⁱ), Judas’s betrayal (13:18-30 ^j), and the prediction of Peter’s denials (13:31-38 ^k).
13:2 ^l Judas ... Iscariot, who had refused to believe, was engulfed by darkness and had become Satan’s pawn (cp. study note on 12:39-40).
Summary for John 13:4-5: 13:4-5 ^m Foot washing, common in the Hellenistic and Jewish cultures as a daily routine and as a gesture of hospitality (see Luke 7:36-50 ⁿ), was a lowly, menial task reserved for servants. When Jesus began to wash the disciples’ feet, he took the posture of a slave.
13:8 ^o Based on the depth of his devotion to Jesus, it is understandable that Peter protested. But Jesus was not simply giving Peter a model of service; this was a symbolic pre-enactment of his greater act of sacrifice on the cross (13:7 ^p). Receiving Jesus’ spiritual cleansing is a condition for discipleship, so if Peter could not accept this act, he could not be Jesus’ disciple at all.
13:9 ^q wash my hands and head as well: Peter misunderstood Jesus (cp. 2:19-20 ^r; 3:3-4 ^s). Peter thought that to have more water was to have more of Jesus. Only when Peter received the Spirit did everything become clear (e.g., see Acts 2:14-36 ^t).
13:10 ^u Jesus referred to an ultimate cleansing through his sacrifice which makes a person clean all over.
Summary for John 13:14-15: 13:14-15 ^v Jesus’ acts of service, such as washing feet and dying on the cross, provided an example of personal sacrifice to follow.

• wash each other’s feet: Foot washing was so commonplace that Jesus might have intended a literal repetition of his act, or he might have seen it as symbolic. Either way, Jesus wants similar servanthood and sacrifice to characterize his followers.
13:16 ^w slaves are not greater than their master: This proverb was popular and appears in many places (see also 15:20 ^x; Matt 10:24 ^y; Luke 6:40 ^z). Here, Jesus meant that the sacrifice modeled by the master should be seen in the life of the servant.